Why Foster a Dog
Perhaps the idea of adding a dog to the family is a little intimidating at the moment. Or the loss of a beloved dog is too recent and you can’t bear the idea of getting attached to another pooch. Regardless of the reason, fostering is a wonderful way to provide a safe environment to a homeless pet while they wait for their forever home!
Agreeing to foster a dog means you agree to show them love and care for either a predetermined amount of time or until they are adopted. Dogs need a stable routine, dependable feeding schedule and training in good manners.
Shelters and rescues do the best they can but often have so many pets waiting to be adopted that space is at a premium. Thankfully, our local animal shelter, the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society (MHHS) in Menands, does not euthanize pets to make room for more homeless animals.
Some of the main reasons a dog might require foster care are:
- A Capital District rescue group may not have a physical shelter or may be completely full and depends on foster homes to care for their rescues until a forever home is found.
- In some cases, depending on a dog’s previous circumstances, a shelter environment can be too stressful, causing them to become aggressive, anxious or depressed. A foster home can offer a troubled dog a safe place to decompress and to learn to trust again.
- Homeless dogs often need a place to convalesce after surgery, illness or injury.
- A foster home teaches a dog social skills and trust.
- A shelter may have no more room.
- Puppies need a safe place to stay before they can be adopted.
When you foster a dog in Upstate New York (Albany, Delmar, Latham, East Greenbush and Troy) you free up space at local rescues and the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in Menands and provide temporary refuge for an animal in need.
Observations made by foster pet parents about a pet’s everyday demeanor go a long way to help shelters and rescues place those pets in an appropriate forever home!
The MHHS lists in great detail the requirements to become a pet foster parent. Check them out at mohawkhumane.org. Dog fostering is on an as-needed basis. Some qualifications for prospective pet foster parents include:
- Must be 18 years of age
- Have a safe, secluded area away from children and other pets
- Possess basic cat or dog handling skills
- Must attend a MHHS foster orientation session
Foster Care responsibilities can include but are not limited to:
- Provide at least one hour per day for socialization and play
- Provide a loving and caring environment
- Bring in foster pets for biweekly medical check-ups
- For any questions about the foster program at MHHS call 518-434-8128, Ext. 212.